Wilton Bullet I.D. and value please

[CalsXS2]

Well I hope this is an old one. I can't find any reference to the numbers I'm seeing except C1. And it looks like you can buy those new for a mere $1000.

So this popped up on craigslist and I was on it like stink on ****. I was the first caller.

I tried to negotiate price, but he wouldn't budge. He said his phone was ringing off the hook after he talked to me. Frankly. I'm tired of the waiting for a deal in my area when there are 3 guy's buying up everything in sight. But I got the drop on them this time.

So here's what I got. I think it's a really old one. At least I hope. Can you guys tell in pic 2 if this a 8C1 or a BC1. It's on the front jaw. Either way, I can't find anything on it.

Pic 3 is some more number's. Reads 10-039. I can't find any reference to that either.

Pic 4 is the one that gets me excited. I had read I think that they stamped numbers inside for either the build date code, or the 5 year warranty expiration date. Is the what pic 4 is. This is on the bottom of the slide tube.

I do have some minor concerns, but I'll address those in a bit.

So is this thing from 1968, or warranty expiration 1968. Or is it a newer model. And what's it worth of course. I'll tell you guy's what I paid as long as it turns out I didn't get screwed. But I have a feeling I did OK. But I'll have to wait to see what you have to say.

Just some general pic's.

 

[zoomieport]

It's a C1 combination vise, great vise, perfect "user" size!
Well done!

Take Care!
ZOOM

 

[CalsXS2]

It's a C1 combination vise, great vise, perfect "user" size!
Well done!

Take Care!
ZOOM

Can you tell how old it is or any idea of what it's worth.

 

[zoomieport]

Looks like about a dozen have "Sold" on eBay recently, they were between $250 and $500, not including shipping.
The date code is stamped on the "key"...

ZOOM

 

[CalsXS2]

Looks like about a dozen have "Sold" on eBay recently, they were between $250 and $500, not including shipping.
The date code is stamped on the "key"...

ZOOM

Right about the key. Newbie mistake. I was close though.

 

[drivesitfar]

IMHO the best vise Wilton makes and you have a December 1968 made vise because i can't see an EXP on the slide. what are your concerns?

my first vise was a nice aluminum one that was pretty light duty from a home show for close to $200. even if you paid $400 you probably did ok and I'm guessing you paid less than that.

now of course if there are issues the value drops, but it looks like a winner so far. glad you bought this instead of the Rock Island one you were looking at. now you can search for a 6 or 8 inch jaw for the other side of the bench that weighs over 150 pounds and this will do fine in the meantime.

by the way what area are you in because almost everywhere there are several guys looking for old vises?

I've owned two old C1's and shouldn't have sold either one, but i do like my Rock Island 577's and they pushed those nice C's down the road.

 

[CalsXS2]

WOW!! You guy's made my day. You are saying that they have sold for $250-$500. And that if I paid $400 I did OK. And that it is a 1968 model. I could not be happier.

Well I have to admit that I did pay his full asking price. I went ahead and gave him the $150 he was asking for. I did try to $125 him. Nope. Then I said how about $140 so I can at least feel like I negotiated like a man. He said if I want the vise,,, it's $150. So I gladly forked it over.

Concern 1. There are some scratches on the last 2'' of the slide tube. I don't think they are cracks at all. For one, it doesn't go over the back end of the tube. And, I can see some corresponding rough casting burs on the body of the vise. What I think is happening is when the tube is about to fall out the weight of it is raising the back end causing it to scrape the rough castings. The lines match up perfect as you can see in pic 1 and 2. I think a touch of the dremal is in order.

Concern 2. The face of the jaws are not flat. I can rock a straight edge across both of them. But I can see that the PO must have been right handed. The right corners have a lot more wear. I can see daylight through the right side. It's ever so tiny though. Pic 3 shows how far I can get a bill in there. I don't think this is a big deal. Or is it. What would be the fix, if I needed to fix it. New jaws??

So do you guys think I did good for $150.

 

[drivesitfar]

I'd be very happy with my purchase if i were you. i know it's your first vise, but i really meant what i said in earlier post.

if you are very handy you could pull the jaws off and mill them so they will match up better but if you don't have one or a great friend that has one that will do it i'd say clean it up. removed the 3 screws holding the screw in the dynamic jaw and clean and grease it and mount it on your bench.

it's a little more difficult to remove the back cover and the vise nut, but you can if you want to do a thorough cleaning.

i had my first 2 restored by guy on GJ before i joined GJ because i wanted to watch and learn the "right" way to take apart a Wilton.

if you are going that route to take it all apart do yourself a favor and pull up one of the many full Wilton bullet restoration threads.

again nice vise especially for your first one.

 

[CalsXS2]

$150 is fine.
It's not a steal but you're happy and that's important.

What will you usually use a vise like that for?

I usually just use a small vise for holding washers to ream out or put a flat side on them. But something popped on the last vise when I over tightened it I guess.

The first order of business for this Wilton is to hold the fork tube off of my 72 Yamaha xs650 so I can get them apart. It takes about 4 hands.

 

[zkling]

Nice vise.

Well I have to admit that I did pay his full asking price. I went ahead and gave him the $150 he was asking for. I did try to $125 him. Nope. Then I said how about $140 so I can at least feel like I negotiated like a man. He said if I want the vise,,, it's $150. So I gladly forked it over.

The used market at times is more of a exercise in human psychology than business. A struggle of power and greed.

 

[CalsXS2]

I'd be very happy with my purchase if i were you. i know it's your first vise, but i really meant what i said in earlier post.

if you are very handy you could pull the jaws off and mill them so they will match up better but if you don't have one or a great friend that has one that will do it i'd say clean it up. removed the 3 screws holding the screw in the dynamic jaw and clean and grease it and mount it on your bench.

it's a little more difficult to remove the back cover and the vise nut, but you can if you want to do a thorough cleaning.

i had my first 2 restored by guy on GJ before i joined GJ because i wanted to watch and learn the "right" way to take apart a Wilton.

if you are going that route to take it all apart do yourself a favor and pull up one of the many full Wilton bullet restoration threads.

again nice vise especially for your first one.

I aint afraid to tear this thing apart.


I had the jaws off. I seen some burs that I thought was the problem. So I filed them down. It helped just a tiny bit, but it's not fixed. I do know someone who works at a machine shop. Could they mill them and be able to put the cross hatching back.


On the back end of the bullet, is that a light weight metal cap like a wheel bearing cap on a car? It has a small dent in it.

I've all ready committed blasphemy. I used a 5'' Buffalo vice to straighten the swivel handle on the Wilton.

 

[Fretters]

How did you manage to overtighten a vice, or was it just a cheap affair?

 

[drivesitfar]

just shooting out a little FYI on vise use 101. never use a vise as a press or anvil unless you really don't care if you break it.

now holding something tight so you can put a tool on the part is the job of the vise, but bear in mind Wiltons are not a 150 pound solid cast vise. it is sort of like using a ratchet on a rusty bolt instead of a breaker bar.

just bee a little careful and i hope it works well for you

 

[CalsXS2]

How did you manage to overtighten a vice, or was it just a cheap affair?

I'm not exactly sure. My Son was tightening it pretty hard and something just popped. Now there is about a 1/8'' gap on one side of the jaws. It won't even hold a washer.

It was a made in the USA 4'' Chief.

 

[Fretters]

Any chance of you whacking a photo of it up? Curious as to what's happened with that one now, going by that description.

 

[CalsXS2]

Any chance of you whacking a photo of it up? Curious as to what's happened with that one now, going by that description.

Kinda hard to see. But you can tell the right side is touching and the left side has a gap.

 

[Davefr]

I'm not exactly sure. My Son was tightening it pretty hard and something just popped. Now there is about a 1/8'' gap on one side of the jaws. It won't even hold a washer.

Wow!! Was he using a cheater pipe on the handle??

Remove the dynamic jaw and inspect the keyway, keyway slot on the body and look for cracks where the round tube meets the dynamic jaw. I wonder if it had a hairline fracture crack when you bought it?

Post some images. Let's hope it's something simple!!

 

[454ragtop]

Davefr, he is showing the 4" Chief, with the misaligned jaws. I suspect they were tightening something up on 1 side of the vise, with nothing in the other side, and it bent the slide bar. Pretty sure the Chief is an exposed screw homeowner grade vise.
Jim

 

[Davefr]

Davefr, he is showing the 4" Chief, with the misaligned jaws. I suspect they were tightening something up on 1 side of the vise, with nothing in the other side, and it bent the slide bar. Pretty sure the Chief is an exposed screw homeowner grade vise.
Jim

Thanks!! I misread and thought it was his new C1.

 

[bluebolt]

Thanks!! I misread and thought it was his new C1.

Hmm the color change from green to red didn't give it away LOL?

 

[Davefr]

Hmm the color change from green to red didn't give it away LOL?

Being color blind doesn't help

 

[CalsXS2]

Davefr, he is showing the 4" Chief, with the misaligned jaws. I suspect they were tightening something up on 1 side of the vise, with nothing in the other side, and it bent the slide bar. Pretty sure the Chief is an exposed screw homeowner grade vise.
Jim

You are correct Sir!!

 

[CalsXS2]

Thanks!! I misread and thought it was his new C1.

I was just getting ready to straighten you out with some more pic's.But 454ragtop beat me to it. I was wondering why you were so worried about that vise.

Besides. I aint got time for that. I'm tearing apart this Wilton and cleaning it . It's been in the heated parts washer for about 1/2 now. It won't come out pretty. But it will be clean.

 

[CalsXS2]

OK. This was my I.D. and value thread. Now I'm going to start a restoration thread. I'll be back and post a link.

 

[CalsXS2]

Restoration thread.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=244979